The cavern erupted into chaos as the dead began to pour from the cracks in the dragon bones and the jagged walls of the cave. Their hollow moans echoed in the massive space, a haunting chorus of despair and rage. Skeletal remains, some wearing tattered scraps of armour or carrying rusted weapons, clattered to the ground before lurching forward with unnatural speed.
Still grappling with the Hydra, Thal roared over the din. "Keep them off each other! Don't get surrounded!"
The Hydra, as if feeding off the chaos, lashed out with its massive head, narrowly missing Thal as he ducked and rolled beneath its jaw. Its roar mingled with the moans of the dead, creating a deafening cacophony. Thal delivered a brutal punch to its throat, forcing it back, but the beast's sheer size and power meant it wasn't going down anytime soon.
On one side of the cavern, Valen and Luken fought back-to-back. Valen's sword flashed as he cut through the horde, each swing precise and calculated. He grunted with effort, his arms burning as the undead pressed in on him.
"Luken!" Valen shouted, his voice strained. "Any magic would be great right about now!"
Luken's hands glowed with faint, crackling energy, hesitation written across his face. "I'm trying!" he yelled, blasting a group of the undead with a surge of arcane force. The spell obliterated a handful of them, but the energy faltered as Luken suppressed the darker side of his abilities. He couldn't risk unleashing too much, not here, not now with Thal watching so closely.
"That's trying?!" Valen barked, cleaving through another skeleton.
Luken grimaced but focused, sending another burst of magic into the fray. This time, he conjured a wall of fire, momentarily halting the advance of the horde on their side. "Better?"
"Much!" Valen replied, grinning despite himself.
On the other side, Tar and Nyra were holding their ground. Tar moved like a force of nature, his massive fists crushing the undead with brutal efficiency. He let out a guttural snarl, his movements precise and unrelenting as he shielded Nyra from the brunt of the attack.
Nyra, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of fury. Her axe swung in wide arcs, severing heads and limbs with every strike. Blood and bone sprayed across the cavern as she tore through the horde, her tattoos glowing faintly as adrenaline and rage surged through her veins.
"Is this all you've got?!" she bellowed, smashing her axe into the ground and sending a shockwave through the approaching undead. The force of the impact sent several of them flying, but more kept coming, their empty eye sockets glowing faintly with malevolent energy.
"Tar, watch your left!" Nyra shouted as a group of skeletal warriors closed in on the minotaur.
Tar turned just in time, his massive horns lowering as he charged into the cluster. The sound of bones shattering echoed through the cavern as the undead were reduced to piles of rubble.
Above it all, Thal continued to battle the Hydra, using its massive neck and head as a barrier to keep the horde from overwhelming the others. Each strike he landed sent tremors through the cave, but the Hydra was relentless. It snapped and thrashed, its movements growing more desperate and violent.
"Keep moving!" Thal bellowed, his deep voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let them pin you down!"
Despite their best efforts, the horde seemed endless, more undead spilling from the cracks in the cavern walls with each passing moment. The group was being pushed closer and closer to the center of the cavern, where the Hydra's body loomed like a living fortress.
Valen's sword arm was growing heavy, his movements slower as fatigue set in. "We can't keep this up forever!" he shouted, cutting down another skeleton.
"Then don't!" Thal called back, his eyes scanning the cavern. "Get to the other side! I'll hold them here!"
"No way!" Nyra yelled, her axe cleaving through another group of undead. "We're not leaving you behind!"
"You're not leaving me!" Thal retorted, slamming his fist into the Hydra's jaw and forcing it back again. "You're following the plan! Go, now!"
Luken hesitated, his gaze flickering to Thal, then to the glowing fog that continued to swirl around them. "There has to be another way."
"There isn't!" Thal snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Move, or none of us make it out of here!"
With no other choice, the group began to retreat toward the far end of the cavern, cutting their way through the horde as they went. Tar stayed at the back, his massive frame serving as a shield for the others.
As they neared the exit, Nyra turned back, her jaw clenched. "Thal, don't you dare"
"I'll be right behind you!" Thal called over his shoulder, landing another devastating blow to the Hydra's neck. The creature recoiled, roaring in frustration, but the glint in its remaining eye made it clear that it wasn't done yet.
The group pressed on, the path ahead narrowing as the cavern began to funnel them toward a tunnel that would lead to the next part of the Spine. Behind them, the sounds of Thal's battle with the Hydra and the unrelenting horde echoed like a thunderstorm.
Nyra's grip on her axe tightened as she turned away, her chest heaving with both exertion and anger. "You better survive this, you stubborn old giant."
With one final glance back, the group disappeared into the tunnel, leaving Thal to face the Hydra and the horde alone.
As the group made their way toward the narrow exit, the ground beneath them suddenly began to tremble. The sound of rushing water filled the cavern, and before they could react, torrents of water began pouring through the cracks in the walls. It surged toward them with alarming speed, sweeping over the bones and skeletal remains in its path. The water was rising fast, rising so quickly that within seconds it engulfed the floor, rising past their ankles, their knees until they were standing in it, submerged up to their waists.
However to Thal... it was as if nothing had changed. His massive form remained steady, the water barely brushing against his legs, and he moved as if it were still solid ground. He looked around, confused, seeing the others flailing, their panic rising as they tried to stay afloat. Valen was shouting, struggling to stay on his feet as the water rose higher, his magic already spent in their battle with the horde. Nyra, equally alarmed, gripped her axe tightly, her eyes darting to the growing tide of water and then to the shadows of the cavern.
"What's happening?! Why is the water so high?!" Valen called, clutching onto a nearby bone structure for stability. The flood seemed relentless.
Thal, to their surprise, was unaffected. He didn't even flinch as the water rose past his waist, waist deep in it and still standing tall. His confusion turned to realization when he saw Nyra, Valen, and Luken floating, carried away by the rising water. Luken was struggling with it the most, his brow furrowing as he tried to stay grounded, to keep his footing.
That's when it hit him this wasn't real. The water wasn't rising. It was an illusion, a trick of the mind, and the illusion only affected those who had magic. Thal, with his Nephilim nature, was unaffected, as he was immune to such things.
Luken, his heart racing and his mind already burdened by the events of the last few days, glanced at Thal. His jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with determination. "I have to do this."
Nyra caught Luken's look and realized, in an instant, what he meant. "Luken, no! Don't!"
It was already too late. Luken's hand began to glow faintly, and his magic surged through his body. The light from his hand burned brighter, and before he could even begin to focus the energy in the right direction, the water around him churned violently. The magical pull around Luken intensified, and the water momentarily stopped rising, settling back down. But that wasn't the most shocking part.
As Luken's Kruul magic tore through the illusion, the others watched in shock. His eye his right eye flared with a deep, unholy crimson, and the horn on the side of his head, which he usually kept hidden, shimmered with the same dark energy. His face grew more intense, a mix of exhaustion and resolve as he fought to control his own power.
Thal's expression remained unchanged, but there was a glint of understanding in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but his silent acknowledgment was enough. It wasn't like he hadn't known Luken had something in him something unnatural, something dark. And honestly, he didn't care. Thal had seen too much of the world, too much death and suffering, to judge someone based on their past or their origins. If Luken's magic could help, then that was all that mattered.
The others Nyra, Tar, and Valen watched in disbelief, confusion evident in their faces. Nyra's gaze flickered from Luken to Thal and back again, still trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Valen's mouth opened slightly, his confusion apparent. They had no idea about Luken's past, his experimentation, or what he had become.
For a moment, Luken just stood there, feeling the weight of their stares. But then, with a determined breath, he turned to Thal. "We need to fight. I'm getting us out of this."
Thal nodded, his expression hardening. "Then let's end this."
The water illusion had faded, but the fight was far from over. The Hydra's massive form, now fully aware of their presence, lurked in the distance, its remaining head peering over the bones and rubble. The air was thick with the scent of death, and the horde of undead, still shambling forward, was growing in number.
"I'll take the Hydra," Thal said, his voice steady. "You handle the undead. Keep them off me while I finish this."
Luken swallowed hard, the weight of the task ahead of him sinking in. He stepped forward, his hand crackling with dark energy. "Got it."
Without further hesitation, they launched into action. Thal charged at the Hydra, his massive fists colliding with the beast's skull, sending shockwaves through the cavern. The Hydra hissed and snapped, its remaining head circling around as it tried to fight back, its roars shaking the very ground beneath them.
Meanwhile, Luken faced the rising horde, his body humming with power. He used his Kruul magic to fuel his attacks, sending bursts of raw energy into the throngs of undead, cutting down one after another. The twisted creatures howled as they were obliterated, but for everyone Luken took down, another seemed to rise in its place.
Nyra, still floating in the water, gritted her teeth. "We need to help them. We can't just sit here!"
But it was clear that no matter how hard they fought, the tide of undead would never stop unless they destroyed the Hydra. With the beast's full attention on Thal, the group had to push through the undead horde and reach the creature's vulnerable neck to end this once and for all.
Nyra and Valen exchanged a look before they nodded in agreement. "Let's move!" Valen shouted.
With renewed resolve, the group charged, cutting their way through the water and past the undead as the battle intensified. They had one goal now survive and stop the Hydra before it could claim anyone else.
Thal's mind raced as he stood facing the Hydra, the last remaining head rearing back in preparation for another strike. The illusion of rising water still enveloped the others, forcing them to fight not just the horde, but also the oppressive weight of the illusory flood. Every second the water seemed to rise higher, threatening to drown them, to pull them under. He could see Nyra struggling to stay afloat, Valen thrashing against the tide, and Tar, his face filled with confusion and frustration. They were all trapped in the same illusion, but Thal could feel it: this was their only chance.
If they didn't take down the Hydra now, if they didn't end this, the illusion would claim them, the water would keep rising until they were all lost. He could already see how the Hydra's regeneration worked one head down, two would replace it. He could feel the muscles in his legs tighten, the anticipation building in his chest. He had to act fast.
The Hydra's head lunged at him, snapping its massive jaws just inches away from his face. Thal twisted sideways, using his brute strength to avoid the deadly teeth. His eyes never left the creature's monstrous form, searching for the perfect moment, the perfect weakness. The head that had been attacking was the only one left. If he could take it down, just this one head, the others would be forced to regenerate, buying them precious time for them to escape before the horde, the water, and the Hydra could overwhelm them.
He heard Luken's voice over the clash of battle, shouting orders as he fought the undead. "Thal! The Hydra! Focus on its head! We'll hold them off!"
Thal's jaw tightened, and he glanced over at Luken, who was using his Kruul magic to wreak havoc on the undead. His energy crackled, cutting down dead one after another, but even Luken was beginning to show signs of exhaustion. They couldn't keep fighting forever.
"Understood!" Thal yelled back, just as the Hydra snapped at him again. This time, he ducked under its massive maw, his eyes scanning for any weakness. It was all or nothing now.
The creature's roar echoed through the cavern, sending vibrations through the bones surrounding them. The other heads, long dead and severed, began to twitch slightly, as if awakening. The Hydra's remaining head hissed in frustration, snapping its fangs in the air.
In that moment, Thal didn't hesitate. He leaped forward, his arms outstretched, aiming directly for the Hydra's open mouth. The thing was powerful, its mouth wide enough to swallow him whole, but Thal was faster. His hand connected with the side of the Hydra's jaw, pushing his strength into the creature's neck. The bones of the dragon like neck creaked and groaned under his immense pressure.
With one swift movement, Thal brought his other fist down like a hammer, landing a crushing blow to the side of the Hydra's skull. There was a sickening crack as the head was stunned, disoriented from the force of the impact. It roared in agony, thrashing wildly, but Thal didn't let up. He was already moving, bringing his leg up to kick the Hydra's jaw open wide.
"Now!" Thal roared to the group. "Get ready to run!"
Luken, hearing Thal's call, pushed through the tide of undead with one final burst of energy, shoving the last of the dead back with his Kruul magic. He dashed toward Thal, his horn glowing with energy, his face set in determination. "We have no time!"
The Hydra's head shook violently, but Thal was relentless. His massive fists struck the head again, and this time, the damage was enough. The head twisted back, its eyes wide with pain as it staggered back, unable to recover from the crushing blows. The Hydra let out one final, guttural roar before the head flopped lifelessly to the side.
For a moment, the cavern fell silent.
The water, still swirling around their legs, began to slowly subside, though it wasn't gone completely. The illusion wavered, and the others Nyra, Tar, and Valen started to regain control over their senses. The water, no longer rising, seemed to retract as if afraid of Thal's fury. Nyra shook her head, trying to clear the disorienting dizziness that had come from being trapped in the illusion for so long.
Thal turned to Luken, his eyes full of urgency. "We need to move! The Hydra's heads will regenerate if we don't leave now!"
Luken didn't need any more encouragement. He quickly nodded and dashed toward the exit, motioning for the others to follow. Valen, still trying to shake the water induced haze from his mind, staggered to his feet, gripping his sword tightly.
"We have to go!" Nyra shouted, looking over her shoulder. She could hear the sickening sounds of the Hydra's body beginning to stir again, the slithering motion of its remaining heads regenerating.
Behind them, the sound of bones cracking and the roar of the Hydra echoed through the cavern. The creature's regeneration had begun, and with it came a horrific realization: the Hydra wasn't just going to get one head back. It would regenerate two, three, even five if they gave it enough time. They had no more time to waste.
"Move!" Thal bellowed, urging them forward. He turned back just long enough to deliver one final blow to the Hydra's remaining head, smashing its skull into the bones beneath them. He didn't stop to watch as the beast began to reform, its massive body writhing in the darkness of the cavern.
The group sprinted down the winding path, water rushing at their feet as they fought against the tide. Luken, in his determination, pushed ahead, helping lead the group through the maze of dragon bones, their only focus now being the exit. The horde of undead was still in pursuit, but Thal and Luken's ferocity had kept them at bay for now.
The Hydra... the Hydra was coming. It was regenerating quickly, and it wouldn't be long before it was on their heels. They had to make it to the exit before the creature could grow back its full strength. Thal's mind was focused, locked onto the path ahead.
It was now or never.
Thal moved like a blur, his powerful muscles propelling him through the air with speed and precision. The Hydra, now with ten heads, launched at him from all directions, their fangs snapping in unison, trying to tear him apart. He could feel the ground tremble beneath him as the beast roared, its many eyes focusing on him with a hunger that seemed endless. The pressure of the moment weighed heavily on him, but there was no hesitation in his movements.
His body was an instrument of destruction, his strikes calculated but non-lethal. He ducked under one head's lunge, his fists coming up to deliver a stunning blow to another, sending it reeling backward. The Hydra was a living nightmare its massive body filled the cavern with an oppressive presence, but Thal wasn't focused on its bulk. He had only one goal: keep the heads confused, keep them from focusing on the others.
"Get out!" Thal shouted at the group, his voice carrying over the chaos. "I'll hold it here! Go!"
Nyra, Luken, Valen, and Tar hesitated, their eyes locked onto him. But there was no time to argue. They could see the intense focus in Thal's eyes, his determination to keep the Hydra at bay. With a shared, wordless understanding, they pushed forward, sprinting toward the exit. The sound of the Hydra's furious roars followed them, but they didn't look back.
As the group moved further, Thal's mind was solely on the Hydra. He had to keep its attention, keep it from following. His body was being pushed to its limits as he bounced off one head and onto another, the Hydra's many heads snapping and recoiling in frustration. He wasn't trying to kill them he knew that was impossible. The Hydra was immortal, and each head would regenerate no matter how many times they were struck down. But Thal he knew how to disorient it, how to confuse it, how to keep its many heads from coming after the group.
He leapt onto a raised bone structure, using it to propel himself higher. As the heads lunged at him, he twisted mid-air, grabbing one of the heads by the snout and twisting its neck in a way that sent it flailing in the opposite direction. The beast screeched in anger, its eyes glowing with rage, but Thal wasn't done. He landed on the ground with the force of a thunderclap, rolling out of the way as another head tried to bite down on him.
The Hydra's body was now a blur of writhing serpentine necks, snapping jaws, and spitting venom. Thal moved faster, his fists and legs a blur of motion, each strike a calculated effort to confuse the Hydra, to keep it from zeroing in on the others. He darted between the heads, using the massive bones of the cavern to his advantage. When one of the heads lunged at him from behind, he crouched low and launched himself into a twisting somersault, landing on top of another head, twisting its neck as he punched with all his might.
It was an exhausting dance one that would never stop unless the Hydra was either sealed away. Thal didn't have the luxury of stopping, not even for a breath. He knew the Hydra's regenerative power would bring its heads back, and even if he managed to stun one or two, they'd be back within seconds. He needed to keep the heads moving, keep them disoriented enough to give the others time to escape.
As the Hydra's ten heads started to snap again, Thal's mind raced. He could feel the strain on his muscles, the relentless pounding of his body as he continued to dodge, leap, and strike. The cavern echoed with the sound of each impact, the beast's roars mingling with Thal's shouts of exertion.
He pushed forward again, using his momentum to land on another neck, his legs twisting and kicking as he sent the Hydra's head reeling once more. But he wasn't finished. His eyes darted around the cave, searching for any advantage, any edge that could turn the tide in his favour.
"Come on!" Thal shouted as he slammed his fist into another head. "Is this all you've got?"
His voice was taunting, his every movement a challenge to the Hydra's massive form. The creature's heads turned toward him, rage in its glowing eyes, as if realizing that he was becoming an obstacle it couldn't overcome. It roared again, a sound so loud it shook the very bones of the cave.
Thal couldn't let up now. He had to keep it distracted, keep it confused, keep it guessing. He wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. He was fighting for them. If he failed here, if he let the Hydra get through to them, everything they had fought for would be lost.
But even as he fought with everything he had, even as his fists struck bone after bone, Thal knew deep down that this wasn't the final battle. They had to escape. They had to leave this place before the Hydra could regenerate fully. The longer he kept the heads off balance, the more time the others had to reach the exit. That was all that mattered.
With one final push, Thal launched himself into the air again, using the weight of his body to slam down on the neck of the Hydra closest to him. The creature recoiled, and he grabbed hold of its massive snout, twisting it to the side with all the force he could muster. The Hydra screeched in pain and confusion, momentarily stunned by the force of the blow.
However Thal's work wasn't done. He could already feel the next wave of heads beginning to regenerate. He had to make his next move count. He had to hold them off hold them long enough for the others to escape. And so, with no more time to waste, he launched himself into the fray once again, every move a desperate plea for survival.
Thal's eyes narrowed as he watched the Hydra's heads move with terrifying speed, each one snapping at him from different angles. His mind worked quickly, strategizing in the heat of battle. The Hydra was a relentless opponent, but he could see a pattern in its movements. The heads were chaotic, reacting to him individually but not yet fully coordinating together as one unit. This was his opportunity.
He darted forward, his legs propelling him through the cavern with the grace of a dancer but the power of a warrior. The heads followed, snapping wildly as they sought to tear into him. Thal, using the natural structure of the cave its raised bones and jagged formations began weaving between them with purpose. Every movement seemed like it could be his last, but Thal was focused, his heart pounding with each breath as he pushed his body to the edge.
The Hydra lunged. One head snapped at his legs, another at his chest, but Thal leapt up at the last moment, narrowly dodging the jaws that closed in on him. He twisted mid-air, his hands reaching out to grab one of the necks, pulling himself close to the massive creature. Without hesitation, he used his momentum to swing around, his legs landing around another neck of the Hydra.
He pulled the head toward him, feeling the massive creature's muscle tense and writhe beneath him, but Thal didn't stop. His hands shot out, grabbing another head, pulling it down to meet the others. The Hydra's movements were growing more frantic now, its heads clashing as they collided into each other, dazed from the constant assault. Thal used this moment to his advantage, quickly lashing out with his legs, wrapping them around the necks of two more heads.
The Hydra's bodies twisted and turned, trying to break free from his grasp, but Thal held firm, his muscles screaming in protest as he fought to keep the creature tangled. He used the natural curves of the cavern to his advantage, swinging his body around the massive dragon bones and making sure the heads collided with one another, locking them in place.
For a moment, it was chaos heads snapping, the sound of bone cracking in the cavern as the Hydra struggled against its entanglement. But Thal knew the creature's strength. He couldn't keep this up forever. He needed to buy time for the others to escape.
His eyes flicked toward the group, now close to the exit. Nyra, Luken, Valen, and Tar were making their way out, but they wouldn't be able to make it if the Hydra broke free. The illusion was gone, the water had receded, but the fight was far from over.
Thal gritted his teeth. His muscles burned, his breathing ragged, but he had to hold this knot of Hydra necks just a bit longer. He was their last line of defence.
The heads continued to snap at him, twisting and turning, trying to find a way out of the knot he had tied them into. But for now, it was enough. They were trapped, unable to strike at the group. And as the others neared the exit, Thal's heart raced with the knowledge that the moment they were free, he could release his hold and escape as well.
The Hydra's thrashing grew weaker as the creature realized it could not break free, its heads locked in an impossible tangle. Thal, using his last reserves of strength, let go and sprang backward, landing on the cave floor. His body ached, his limbs screamed, but he didn't stop. He dashed toward the exit, leaping over the wreckage of the Hydra's struggle, just in time to see the others reaching the threshold of the cavern.
"Go! Now!" Thal shouted, his voice hoarse from the battle.
Nyra, Luken, Valen, and Tar didn't hesitate. They surged forward, pushing through the final remnants of the cavern as the last of the Hydra's thrashing subsided. Thal's heart was still pounding as he followed close behind, just in time to see the sunlight breaking through the entrance of the Maw of the Empyrean Spine.
They were out. The sunlight didn't feel warm, it felt blinding, raw but they were alive.